


Closer Than You Think

by Cyrrus



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Nuts and Dolts Weeks 2020, Online Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23585113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyrrus/pseuds/Cyrrus
Summary: In class, Ruby and Penny are a pair of lovebirds in denial, neither one aware of their crush on the other. Online, they're best friends and each other's go-to source for romantic help.Neither of them realize that their crush and 'long-distance friend' are one and the same, but when Ruby agrees to a date with Penny, that might just change.
Relationships: Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose
Comments: 17
Kudos: 111





	Closer Than You Think

redlikeroses: SHES HERE AND SHES WEARING A CUTE DRESS WHAT DO I DO  
redlikeroses: HEEEEEEEELP  
P++: Talk to her!  
redlikeroses: NO  
redlikeroses: maybe  
redlikeroses: what do i say?!  
P++: Compliment her eyes!  
redlikeroses: NO WAY  
P++: Rose, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t ever speak to her.  
redlikeroses: I KNOOOOOOOOW  
redlikeroses: BUT SHES SO ADORABLE I THINK MY HEARTS GONNA GIVE OUT  
redlikeroses: asdfkbdensi  
redlikeroses: (that’s the sound of it giving out)  
P++: :P  
redlikeroses: crushes are dumb. who needs crushes? i choose to not have any  
redlikeroses: they’re all gone  
redlikeroses: im better than ever  
P++: Really?  
redlikeroses: NO SHE JUST SMILED AT ME IM GONNA DIIIIIIIIE  
P++: If it is any consolation, I still haven’t talked to mine either.  
redlikeroses: i told you its hard!  
P++: She’s actually next to me right now.  
redlikeroses: WHAT  
redlikeroses: TALK TO HER NOW GOGOGO

“Good morning, Ruby! Are you ready for another day of class?”

Ruby jumps in her seat as if jolted. She straightens up and clears her throat. Oh no, oh no, oh no. Penny’s talking to her. Penny Polendina. Her _crush_ , Penny.

Think, Ruby, think! You need a suave comeback. It’s not every day she sits next to you, much less talks to you! She works her brain as the second hand on the clock continues to tick by, then inspiration strikes. Ruby slicks back her hair in the same way she’s seen her uncle do. “You should be asking ‘Is class ready for Ruby?’”

Penny’s head tilts in confusion, making the strand of hair that sticks up on her head waggle. Then she breaks into a giggle, and Ruby’s heart just about melts. Oh, wait until Plus hears about this.

“I know I am!” Penny replies. Ruby bites back a squee.

After sharing a slightly awkward laugh, Ruby darts for her scroll and opens her messaging app. In her haste, she doesn’t notice Penny pick up her own.

redlikeroses: SHE SAID HI AND I FLIRTED WITH HER  
redlikeroses: well not really but i was super cool about it  
redlikeroses: she GIGGLED  
redlikeroses: is this what an angel sounds like?  
P++: Congratulations!  
P++: Mine just spoke to me too.  
P++: Luck must be in our favor today.  
redlikeroses: gaaaaaaaasp!  
redlikeroses: tell me everything!  
P++: I wished them good morning, and they said something funny.  
redlikeroses: whens the first date?  
P++: Rose!  
P++: One step at a time.  
redlikeroses: good thing i have long strides  
redlikeroses: ok class time gtg bye!  
P++: Same. Farewell!

~~~

redlikeroses: shes said hi to me everyday this week  
redlikeroses: my heart is melting, p  
redlikeroses: MELTING  
redlikeroses: what if she likes me what do I DO WHAT DO I DO  
P++: I’m glad you’re having so much luck!  
P++: Why not ask her out to lunch?  
P++: I suggest the cafe you always frequent.  
redlikeroses: wow i must go there a lot if you know about it  
redlikeroses: wait no dont change the subject  
redlikeroses: i cant ask her out! what if she says no?  
redlikeroses: i am a happy rose right now and i dont wanna ruin it  
P++: You’ve been watered and kept in the sunlight then?  
redlikeroses: yes  
redlikeroses: water and sunlight called cute girls with cute bows  
redlikeroses: so uh what i do  
P++: Suggest a date.  
redlikeroses: no  
P++: I will if you will!  
redlikeroses: swaksbvod  
redlikeroses: YOU CANT JUST PUT THIS KINDA PRESSURE ON ME  
redlikeroses: youre just gonna ask your crush out like that?  
P++: We’ve also been speaking to each other every day, and she seems to enjoy it.  
P++: I am at least seventy-percent sure she’ll say yes!  
redlikeroses: look at you go  
redlikeroses: lend me some of that confidence plz i need it  
P++: I believe in you!  
redlikeroses: alright ill do it  
redlikeroses: 3 2 1 go

Scroll shut, Ruby looks up. She takes a deep breath. You got this, Rose! You’ve done far worse than ask the cutest girl on Remnant out on a date. Think of the bow, think of the adorable little bow.

She turns to Penny, who’s turning to her at the same time.

“Penny, do you wanna--”

“Ruby, would you like to--”

They stop and pause mid sentence, both full of surprise. Ruby’s heart flutters, and she decides the awkward silence is worth it if she can stare into those emerald eyes a while longer. Naturally, it ends up being Penny who breaks the silence. “You go first, Ruby. What were you going to ask me?”

Ruby’s voice dies in her throat. Funny, she thinks, how easily she can stand up to upperclassmen but the second Penny looks at her like that all nerve vanishes like a ghost. “Um. Nothing! Never mind! I was gonna ask to borrow a pen, but I found mine just now. Ahaha.” Okay, fine, she totally chickened out. She’ll deal with Plus’s disappointment later.

“I see,” Penny says, her usual cheery grin returning. Ruby always has a hard time deciphering if Penny believes little white lies or chooses not to notice, and now is no different.

“What were you going to ask me?”

For a split second, uncertainty flits over Penny’s features. Then a blush follows. A _blush_! If there’s a higher power, Ruby thanks it for this adorable blessing. Penny nods to herself as if answering some internal thought before speaking again. “I was hoping you would accompany me to lunch this saturday?”

...Ooooooh my gosh! Ruby whips her head in the opposite direction, yanks her bookbag off the floor, and screams into it. That out of the way, she clears her throat and meets Penny’s gaze once again. “I would love to! Do you have anywhere in mind? Oh! I know a cute cafe nearby.”

“Sure!” The redhead balls up her fists in front of her, jittering for a second like she always does when exciting.

She is _so_ in with her crush, Ruby thinks to herself. “Sweet!”

“I’ll text you later?”

“Yeah!”

“Sensational!”

They take a moment to gaze at each other with matching adoration. At least that’s what Ruby likes to think she’s seeing. Penny asked her out, so that means she likes her? Hopefully? Agh, why is this so confusing and stressful? Ruby unlocks her scroll. She knows at least one person who can help her make sense of this.

redlikeroses: P++++++++++++  
P++: redlikeroses!  
redlikeroses: GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT  
P++: Wait a minute, Rose! I have something to tell you too!  
redlikeroses: fsakdausajdnk  
redlikeroses: rock paper scissors for who goes first  
P++: You can’t play that on here! You’ll choose the winning one right after I send mine!  
redlikeroses: fiiiiiiiine  
redlikeroses: heads or tails? ive got a lucky penny  
redlikeroses: two lucky pennys actually ;3  
P++: two?  
redlikeroses: inside joke. now choose! swear on my beloved doggy that ill be honest  
P++: Heads.  
redlikeroses: …  
P++: I think that means I’ve won!  
redlikeroses: yeah yeah dont rub it in  
redlikeroses: whats your news  
P++: I asked my crush out and she said yes!  
redlikeroses: MINE ASKED ME OUT AND I SAID YES  
P++: :O  
redlikeroses: looks like weve both got dates~  
P++: This is wonderful news!  
redlikeroses: hehe yeah but i have no idea what im doing and i need heeeeeelp  
redlikeroses: how do i act and what do i wear  
P++: Be yourself! If she asked you out, she likes you for who you are.  
redlikeroses: thats… actually kinda comforting?  
P++: Where will you two be going?  
redlikeroses: the cafe you suggested  
P++: We’re also going to a cafe! Good taste.  
P++: As for clothing, I plan to dress casual but pleasant.  
redlikeroses: uggggh im terrible with fashion  
redlikeroses: whats an outfit you think would look cute  
P++: Let’s see…

~~~

Ruby rocks in her chair, twiddling her thumbs and waiting for her date to arrive. ‘Date.’ It still sends jolts of excitement through her body to remember that Penny wears the title today. It doesn’t help that Plus isn’t responding to her messages. She mentioned that her own date was also today, so she can’t fault her for being busy. It’s kinda funny if Ruby is being honest. Everything went right for them at the same time in the same ways. One heck of a coincidence--

The bell on the cafe’s front door chimes, and Ruby snaps her head over her shoulder to look. When she sees the redheaded girl stepping inside, the rest of the world goes black and white by comparison. She’s so cuuuute, Ruby whines under her breath. Her hair has a teensy bit of extra curl to make it pop, and her clothes are a vibrant shade of green while still being casual, and… and… everything! Ruby waves and calls her over, though the ‘Over here, Penny!’ she meant to say warps into a mumbled ‘Oh… o’er h-here.”

“Ruby!” Penny looks as giddy as can be when she spots Ruby. She bounds over with a spring in her step, causing the curls framing her face to bounce with her. She takes the seat opposite Ruby. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. It wasn’t too long, was it?”

“No, no, of course not! I’m just happy you’re here.” It’d be more accurate to say Ruby was in such a rush that she arrived an hour early, not that she’d admit it. Conversation is an important part of any date, so Ruby races to come up with a topic. She settles on the first thing she can think of. “Is this place okay? I like it a lot, but I dunno what you’re a fan of. If you prefer somewhere else we can…”

She trails off, but Penny catches the implication. She shakes her head. “Actually, I got excited when you told me the name of this cafe. A friend of mine frequents here.”

That’s news to her. Ruby doesn’t know anyone else in their class who comes here. “Heh, well I’m glad I made the right choice! Anyone I know?”

Penny shakes her head. “I think she lives in a different city. It must be a different location.”

“But this is a locally owned cafe.” Ruby scratches her head. Something starts to gnaw at the back of her mind. “I don’t think there are any other locations,” she says, caughing Penny to tilt her head.

“Maybe it happens to have the same name?”

“Riiight.” Ruby blinks a few times to get her train of thought back on track. Thankfully, they’re interrupted by a waitress and it buys Ruby time to think of what to talk about next. After they scan their menus and order their drinks--both sugary sweet--Ruby decides to take a leap of faith.

Breaking table etiquette, she plants her elbow firm on the table and leans on her arm. “Your eyes… are like precious gems.”

“...”

Crap, crap, crap. Ruby bites her tongue to keep herself from overthinking the stoic reaction. Was Plus’s advice wrong? What if Penny thinks that was dumb? Oh no, what if Ruby misread the entire situation and this was only supposed to be a friend outing?! 

“Aww thank you, Ruby! Your eyes also remind me of rare minerals.”

Score! Point goes to Rose. She lets out the breath she’d been holding, feeling a whole lot more relaxed. For the first time, she feels comfortable. This might just turn out alright! If the pleased expression Penny’s wearing is anything to go by, she’s thinking the same.

As the date goes on, Ruby and Penny fall into a pattern. They’d been friendly enough in class, but on their first true outing together, it’s as if two puzzle pieces lock together. They discover common interests that Ruby never expected Penny to even know about. They pick up on each other’s jokes and wonderfully compatible senses of humor. A few times, they even finish each other’s sentences. It’s almost as if they’re long lost friends reconnecting.

All the while, the little feeling in the back of Ruby’s mind continues to fester and grow. The way the date has turned out is almost too good to be true, and she can’t place why until their antics ring a bell. It hits her. _Their conversation feels familiar!_ The way they chat and play off of each other, and even their speech patterns--it’s eerily reminiscent of her online friend. Well eerie might not be the best way to put it, Ruby thinks. More like bizarre. On the other hand, it’s not like she can complain about finding someone else she can connect with, right? Though she worries that Plus might find it weird.

“You know, Ruby,” Penny says, dragging the brunette from her thoughts. “I was scared when I asked you out. I thought you wouldn’t be interested.”

“Aww… There’s no way I wouldn’t be. You’re you!”

Penny simply giggles, taking the compliment in stride. “Likewise. I was only seventy-percent confident you would say yes, but I’m glad I took the risk.”

“Mmhm… wait, what?”

The girl sips her drink, so she winks as a response. It doesn’t do anything to aid the fact that Ruby’s mind starts to reel. She heard this exact phrase a few days ago, didn’t she? The gears in her head start to creak and grind, but nonetheless, they turn.

“Hey, Penny?”

“What is it, Ruby?”

If not for making her look like a weirdo, Ruby would laugh out loud at the idea that’s popped into her head. She’ll ask a question or two to dispel the notion. That’s it. No way anything will come of it. “I lied about one thing. The other day, I was going to ask you out at the same time you asked me out. Buuuut, I kinda chickened out. Good thing you came in clutch, huh?” Penny laughs, melodious to Ruby’s ears. The brunette presses on. “Funny story. My friend and I were texting, and she’s the one who motivated me to, uh, act on my crush. Eheh. How did you work up the nerve?”

Penny’s expression quirks in an unreadable way. As much as the girl wears her heart on the sleeve, sometimes Ruby can’t read her at all. Her eyes narrow ever so slightly. “I was in a very similar position. A friend of mine also has a crush on someone, so we made a deal to both ask out who we’re interested in.”

Oh.

“It worked out for both of us, though my friend ended up being the one who was asked out.”

No way…

“She’s on a date today as well…”

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh.

A bead of sweat rolls down Ruby’s cheek. Her mouth flounders open and closed for a response. Their eyes lock, and Penny’s search Ruby’s for something that Ruby is scared to know.

“Take out your scroll!” Ruby’s has her hands on hers before even a second has passed. She smashes her thumb against the app icon she’s looking for, and opens it up to the most recent chat. Her past messages to Plus are still lingering there unanswered, so Ruby just adds to the backlog. Fingers shaking, she types out a message and keeps her eyes firmly planted on the device and anywhere but at her date.

redlikeroses: Penny?

Fear strikes Ruby’s heart and she doesn't even know why. Fear of rejection? Fear that she’s right, or that she’s wrong? She’s not sure which outcome she’d prefer right now. She shuts her eyes tight until a subtle vibration tells her she’s received a message.

P++: Ruby.

Time stops as she stares at that message. Then everything crashes around her.

Ruby jumps to her feet and sends her chair toppling to the ground. “You’re Plus?!” she says, pointing at an equally shocked Penny.

“You’re Rose.” Penny replies, her voice quiet and dripping with disbelief.

Ruby gawks. What. How. What is happening? “Of course I’m Rose! Ruby Rose, that’s my name!”

“I thought it was a coincidence!”

Ruby pulls her chair back up just so she can bonk her forehead against the table. “I think today has taught me that there’s no such thing as coincidences.”

From the corner of her eye, she spies Penny start to reach out then stop. She retracts her hand. She reaches for her scroll instead, and Ruby receives a message seconds later. As much as she wants to sit here and recover from her mind blowing, curiosity wins. She opens her scroll.

P++: It’s okay.

Ruby furrows her brow. When she looks at Penny, she’s met with a sympathetic look.

redlikeroses: rly?  
redlikeroses: i feel dumb and this probably made things weird

Penny thinks for a moment then shrugs at her, still smiling.

P++: I also feel like I’m questioning my intelligence.  
P++: I think this is very weird, but it’s like I said.  
P++: It’s okay.  
P++: This makes things easier, right? We already know each other, and we don’t have to worry about maintaining a long distance friendship.

Ruby’s eyes widen. Is she saying what it sounds like…?

redlikeroses: you mean you still want to try this?  
redlikeroses: the date i mean  
redlikeroses: not friends  
redlikeroses: well unless you wanna be friends cause youre really awesome and i think i could live with that  
redlikeroses: but i have a super massive crush on you and i wanna try for more and  
redlikeroses: idk  
P++: Ruby.  
P++: I would be ecstatic to go out with you.

Ruby can’t contain the urge to smile, and she lets it all spill out. She laughs, only somewhat delirious, then finally looks at her date again. Shock. Relief. Happiness. There’s about a million emotions they could share right now, all of them positive. Ruby extends her hand. “Hi, I’m Ruby, your online best friend slash classmate and mutual crush. Wanna start over?”

Penny takes her hand and shakes with a clinging grip. It’s not uncomfortable to Ruby. In fact she could get used to it. “Nice to meet you for the third time, Ruby. But let’s not start over. I want to bring every version of our friendship with us.”

The line earns Penny a flustered, blushing noise from Ruby. She manages to recollect her wits and nod. “I’d like that. Wanna continue our date?”

“Absolutely.”

Ruby collects her scroll one more time.

redlikeroses: girlfriends? <3  
P++: Definitely. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is is my first time writing Penny and this ship despite how much I love these dorks. Hopefully it turned out well! Leave a comment if you'd like!


End file.
